Just received some updated statistics on Small Business advertising spend from the 2011 Outlook report from Borrell Associates. Borrell surveyed over 2,800 Small Business owners to find that, of the 84 percent who will spend on digital, 53 percent plan on increasing their budgets in 2011. Money invested in website development, social media and e-mail marketing will grow more than 30 percent in 2011. On the flip-side, local print media, newspapers, directories and radio will continue to get squeezed out of the budget with double-digit cuts across the board from most SMB’s.

According to the report, Small Business represents a huge growth market, and accounted for over 70 percent of all online advertising expenditures last year. Social media is especially interesting for SMB’s and most are interested in Facebook, Twitter, location-based services, and daily deals platforms. I think YouTube also makes sense for the right kind of small business so I’d expect to see some interest and spending there as well. It was interesting that Borrell did not include any data related to YouTube or Mobile marketing strategies. Despite all of the buzz around mobile and video, it seems that small business owners just have not caught-on the way larger brands and retailers have.

Potential Pitfalls

Despite all the data suggesting growth and willingness to spend, the reality is that there is still a lot of confusion as to who to work with to make all of this happen. There is so much noise in the market right now, with average small business owners getting 22 new media advertising pitches a month. These pitches range from local boutique agencies to national solutions like Yodle, ReachLocal and Web.com. It is this noise and shear amount of options that paralyzes decisions makers. With so many so called experts and best-of-breed technology platforms to review and analyze, making a decision alone can take several weeks.

Furthermore, many Small Business owners still lack a real understanding of digital. Website analytics, social media insights and search engine marketing tactics are still fuzzy. Due to this minimal amount of knowledge, SMB’s must trust the provider they partner with to do the right thing. Unfortunately, most of the “big-boys” of SMB marketing are focusing on market share and not the quality of the products or services they provide. This mentality leads to less than stellar results for business owners and a burned relationship for the provider – which ultimately hurts the perception of every SMB marketing company.

Nowadays, digital signage solutions are being exploited by a lot of business owners because it is offering a lot of advantages that you and your business can benefit from. However, there are still a lot of business owners who are not aware of the power behind digital solutions. This article was written with the intention of helping you learn more about digital signage solutions and the four reasons why you need to start using it for your business. Read this article if you want to outrank your competitors in terms of brand awareness and overall performance.

Here are the four reasons why you need to start using digital signage solutions:

Modern and Impressive – when it comes to advertising, there is some kind of psychological effect if a company uses advanced technology when advertising. Although it is not proven, what do you think will your customers’ reaction be, if they saw two banner from two competing companies; static banners and digital signage solutions. Where do you think would people go? Exactly! They will check the one that uses a more advanced advertising platform.

Interactive and Informative – now that we are in the Information Age, people are always going with the ones that can give them more information. If you are going to use digital signage solutions, you will be able to provide more content which can either be informative or persuasive. Both of these features are the reason why digital solutions are considered as the best advertising platform today.

Convenient and Cost-Effective – unlike static banners that should be re-printed every now and then; digital signage solutions can easily be managed with a few clicks of a button. If you are going to use a player, you don’t have to worry about spending a lot of money just to change the information being shown on your boards. It also produces much better results, making it very cost-effective for all businesses of any size.

Eco-, and Budget-Friendly – using digital solutions will save you from using toxic materials such as paint and plastics. The monitors that you will be using are made from fully-recyclable materials, which makes it very eco-friendly. Aside from this, it is also much cheaper compared to static banners. You can have your very own independent digital signage solution for as low as $300. You will also be able to save a lot of money in the long run, considering the fact that you don’t have to spend money when you need to change your banner.

Now that the competition in every industry gets tougher and tougher, a lot of business owners today are using different innovative tools to gain an edge over their competitors. Digital advertising is one of the most exploited methods today because it offers a lot of benefits. However, you, as a business owner, should understand the benefits that you can get from digital signage companies before you start looking for one. Today, I will be showing you some of the benefits that you and your business can get from digital signage companies. Reading this article will give you an idea as to whether you should search for a company or simply install your digital solution on your own.

One of the most prominent advantages that you can get from digital signage companies is the fact that they will help you find the digital advertising package that suits your business needs and your budget. All you have to do is to let them know the things that you want to implement, and they will come up with a package that is perfect for your business and your budget. Finding a digital signage company will save you from the trouble of learning everything about digital displays, because they will be explaining everything to you. There are companies that will even give you several options to choose from, allowing you to have the one that is perfect for your business without burning a hole in your pocket.

Another benefit that you can get from a reputable digital signage company is the fact that they will be helping you install and manage your digital advertising. Although there are packages that can be installed and managed with ease, it will still be better if you have professionals who can help you whenever you are dealing with problems. They can also provide you with a program that will make it easier for you to manage and update your digital advertisement. This will help you save a lot of time, and will prevent you from having troubles in the future.

These are some of the benefits that you can get from digital signage solutions. So, if you are planning to join the bandwagon and start using the most advanced advertising solution today, you should first look for a company that will help you with your needs. Search the Internet and start looking for a company that will help you find the best digital advertising solution for your business.